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The NFL playing games in London has been debated since its creation in 2007. It has been no secret the league's ultimate goal is to either relocate a franchise or place an expansion team in the English capital. That idea has been met with much criticism due to stadium availability, the hardships of traveling, and other issues listed in the video.

The league, however, seems to have tapped into one of its best ideas to date with the airing of "The London Game" at 9:30 AM on the east coast.

Football and pancakes on Sunday morning? What is better than that?

One would have to be a real football scrooge not to love the idea of an extra network game available to the public in a time slot that A) does not take up another night during the week (AKA Thursday Night Football), and B) does not feature anything else in television fans want to watch (sorry, BPL fans).

It's an extra game. Fans can have it on in the background while doing the normal Sunday morning routine or make it a family gathering after Sunday morning service.

Sure, it's never going to gather the same amount of viewers as a normal Sunday afternoon game. All that matters, though, is that the live game will bring in more viewers than the standard pregame show. Two weeks ago, the Falcons and Lions game in London earned a 6.6 Nielsen Rating according to Brit View NFL. That's double what the Fox Pregame Show normally gets.

So if the fans want it, and the television networks want it, this is something the NFL can sell. Here is a layout of Dave's London Propsal:

1) London will host eight regular season games per season

2) If necessary, the NFL schedule will be expanded 18 weeks to give each team two byes. Every team will be rewarded a bye week after the London game to travel back to the United States (the NFL already does this)

3) With eight games per season, 16 teams will visit London per year, meaning each team visits London every other season. Every four years, each team gives up a home game to play in London.

4) Owners will be compensated $1 million for losing a home game, which the NFL already does for some teams.

This would work because:

A) Fans want the extra time slot without purchasing another television package. Sure, it might be a pain to get up and watch your own team so early, but that only occurs every other season and the trade off is eight additional games to watch per year. The same argument can be used for season ticket holders. Every season ticket holder loses a home game every four years, but the trade off is 32 additional games on national television in exchange for losing just one home game.

B) Again, the television networks will make more money with additional viewers watching a live game rather than a pregame show.

C) The NFL gets to market its game overseas without having to expand the league or relocate a current franchse.

It almost sounds too easy. It makes all the sense in the world.

Please let us know what you think. Did you enjoy the 9:30 AM London game two weeks ago? What do you think of Dave's proposal? Would you prefer a permanent team in London? Would you rather not have any additional games on television at all?

Leave a comment in the section below. If you leave a comment, Dave will announce it on the next episode of Monday Morning Huddle. For more on the host's London proposal, listen to Oct. 27 episode of Monday Morning Huddle.

The NFL playing games in London has been debated since its creation in 2007. It has been no secret the league's ultimate goal is to either relocate a franchise or place an expansion team in the English capital. That idea has been met with much criticism due to stadium availability, the hardships of traveling, and other issues listed in the video.

The league, however, seems to have tapped into one of its best ideas to date with the airing of "The London Game" at 9:30 AM on the east coast.

Football and pancakes on Sunday morning? What is better than that?

One would have to be a real football scrooge not to love the idea of an extra network game available to the public in a time slot that A) does not take up another night during the week (AKA Thursday Night Football), and B) does not feature anything else in television fans want to watch (sorry, BPL fans).

It's an extra game. Fans can have it on in the background while doing the normal Sunday morning routine or make it a family gathering after Sunday morning service.

Sure, it's never going to gather the same amount of viewers as a normal Sunday afternoon game. All that matters, though, is that the live game will bring in more viewers than the standard pregame show. Two weeks ago, the Falcons and Lions game in London earned a 6.6 Nielsen Rating according to Brit View NFL. That's double what the Fox Pregame Show normally gets.

So if the fans want it, and the television networks want it, this is something the NFL can sell. Here is a layout of Dave's London Propsal:

1) London will host eight regular season games per season

2) If necessary, the NFL schedule will be expanded 18 weeks to give each team two byes. Every team will be rewarded a bye week after the London game to travel back to the United States (the NFL already does this)

3) With eight games per season, 16 teams will visit London per year, meaning each team visits London every other season. Every four years, each team gives up a home game to play in London.

4) Owners will be compensated $1 million for losing a home game, which the NFL already does for some teams.

This would work because:

A) Fans want the extra time slot without purchasing another television package. Sure, it might be a pain to get up and watch your own team so early, but that only occurs every other season and the trade off is eight additional games to watch per year. The same argument can be used for season ticket holders. Every season ticket holder loses a home game every four years, but the trade off is 32 additional games on national television in exchange for losing just one home game.

B) Again, the television networks will make more money with additional viewers watching a live game rather than a pregame show.

C) The NFL gets to market its game overseas without having to expand the league or relocate a current franchse.

It almost sounds too easy. It makes all the sense in the world.

Please let us know what you think. Did you enjoy the 9:30 AM London game two weeks ago? What do you think of Dave's proposal? Would you prefer a permanent team in London? Would you rather not have any additional games on television at all?

Leave a comment in the section below. If you leave a comment, Dave will announce it on the next episode of Monday Morning Huddle. For more on the host's London proposal, listen to Oct. 27 episode of Monday Morning Huddle.

The NFL has been increasing the number of games played in other countries. The Buffalo Bills "hosted" games in Toronto, Canada, between 2008 and 2012 with talk about expanding the number of these games or even moving the team there with the Bills' late owner Ralph Wilson. Following the 1/29/2013 preseason game the 2014 game was postponed for a year. On 10/2/2005 a regular season game was held in Mexico City, Mexico, between the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. Prior to this season seven games have been held in Wembley Stadium in London.

And the talk continues about expansion. I have a problem with this and I am sure that I am not the only one.

First of all, NFL Europe (first dubbed The World League of American Football) operated on-and-off from 1991 until 6/29/2007 when it officially ended due to loss of funding, exhaustion of television partners, and a focus on Germany (five teams were in Germany, the other in Amsterdam). The "lack of pizzaz" in watching what were essentially glorified practice squads led to its demise.

In the 6/30/2007 New York Times, Richard Sandomir wrote:

“If we can present two or three games a year, and fans are engaged in that experience, we will grow exponentially overseas,” Mark Waller, the senior vice president of NFL International, said by telephone from Frankfurt."

And then he wrote:

"Despite its domestic power, the N.F.L. has struggled to export its game."

(The full article can be found at:  https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/thoughts-the-nfls-increasing-games-london/31826/www.nytimes.com/2007/06/30/sports/football/30nfl.html?_r=0)

And yet the NFL continues to promote the league overseas. I am going to focus upon London because that seems to be the place to play as of late. And for the record, I have nothing against the UK; after all, I am half-British.

Secondly, if I was still a season ticket-holder and one of my home games was to be played in London, thus causing me to miss one, I would be angry. But I gave up my season tickets because I couldn't afford them anymore. Which brings me to my third point...

How about the NFL lowers ticket prices so that middle-class America can attend games? After all, the fans in this country are what made the NFL as popular and successful as it has become.

But no, instead the league wants to promote games overseas because they can charge ridiculous amounts of money which people will pay. For the upcoming Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys game in London on 11/9/2014, tickets start at 39.4 British pounds, or $63.56 per ticket. Mind you, I said start at. The league non-premium ticket average in the US is currently $84.45 per ticket. Some teams, like the New England Patriots, charge $122 per ticket for non-premium seats.

Wembley Stadium holds 86,000 people for NFL games. Stadiums in the US range from TCF Bank Stadium (Minnesota Vikings) that holds 52,525 to FedEx Field (Washington Redskins) with a capacity of 85,000. However, many teams are experiencing broadcast blackouts due to undersold tickets (because they are too expensive). So instead of doing the right thing, the league seeks new paying customers elsewhere without so much as a thought about its existing fanbase.

We wonder why there is dwindling player loyalty in the NFL. It's all about the almighty dollar (which really isn't all that almighty anymore thanks to a ridiculous deficit and the gradual devaluation of our currency). Players will go to whichever team will pay them the most. Granted, there are several loyal players like Charles Tillman (Chi), Troy Polamalu (Pit), and Larry Fitzgerald (Ari), for example, who have been with their respective teams their entire careers; 12, 12, and 11 years, respectively.

Yet this is what the league is doing: selling out for the highest dollar. What kind of lesson does that teach?

Finally, the wear and tear on our players having to travel across several time zones (especially west coast teams who face an eight-hour time differential) can wreak havoc on their circadian rhythms: "the physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment" (from the NIH article below).

"Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions. They have been linked to various sleep disorders, such as insomnia. Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder."

(The full article on circadian rhythms from the NIH can be found at:  https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/thoughts-the-nfls-increasing-games-london/31826/www.nigms.nih.gov/Education/Pages/Factsheet_CircadianRhythms.aspx)

Therefore, those teams having to travel to London must adjust their body clocks to the new time zone, deal with jet lag, and then fly home and readjust so they are ready to play the following week according to their "normal" circadian rhythms. Granted, the NFL has said that it will likely schedule a bye week for those teams returning from London; however, the league already has enough trouble with scheduling (teams playing Monday night and then Thursday night, for example). Is this fair to these athletes? I don't think so. That the league wants to keep increasing the number of games played in London or possibly even having a regular team there is not a good idea; not to mention a colossal waste of money on overseas travel which is allegedly justified by the growing fan base outside of the US. 

While I am not completely averse to having games or teams in Canada (after all, the NHL and NBA operate in both countries), there is a huge difference between a 99.1 mile drive from Buffalo to Toronto and a 3,358 (from New York) to 5,478 (from San Diego) mile flight to London. And if they must play in London, schedule games during the preseason, but that won't fulfill the pizzaz factor that led to NFL Europe's demise.

Personally, if the NFL continues down this path of devaluing American fans then it should not be called the National Football League and I, for one, would withdraw my support: no more purchasing NFL merchandise or NFL Sunday Ticket for starters.

The NFL has been increasing the number of games played in other countries. The Buffalo Bills "hosted" games in Toronto, Canada, between 2008 and 2012 with talk about expanding the number of these games or even moving the team there with the Bills' late owner Ralph Wilson. Following the 1/29/2013 preseason game the 2014 game was postponed for a year. On 10/2/2005 a regular season game was held in Mexico City, Mexico, between the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. Prior to this season seven games have been held in Wembley Stadium in London.

And the talk continues about expansion. I have a problem with this and I am sure that I am not the only one.

First of all, NFL Europe (first dubbed The World League of American Football) operated on-and-off from 1991 until 6/29/2007 when it officially ended due to loss of funding, exhaustion of television partners, and a focus on Germany (five teams were in Germany, the other in Amsterdam). The "lack of pizzaz" in watching what were essentially glorified practice squads led to its demise.

In the 6/30/2007 New York Times, Richard Sandomir wrote:

“If we can present two or three games a year, and fans are engaged in that experience, we will grow exponentially overseas,” Mark Waller, the senior vice president of NFL International, said by telephone from Frankfurt."

And then he wrote:

"Despite its domestic power, the N.F.L. has struggled to export its game."

(The full article can be found at:  https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/thoughts-the-nfls-increasing-games-london/31826/www.nytimes.com/2007/06/30/sports/football/30nfl.html?_r=0)

And yet the NFL continues to promote the league overseas. I am going to focus upon London because that seems to be the place to play as of late. And for the record, I have nothing against the UK; after all, I am half-British.

Secondly, if I was still a season ticket-holder and one of my home games was to be played in London, thus causing me to miss one, I would be angry. But I gave up my season tickets because I couldn't afford them anymore. Which brings me to my third point...

How about the NFL lowers ticket prices so that middle-class America can attend games? After all, the fans in this country are what made the NFL as popular and successful as it has become.

But no, instead the league wants to promote games overseas because they can charge ridiculous amounts of money which people will pay. For the upcoming Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys game in London on 11/9/2014, tickets start at 39.4 British pounds, or $63.56 per ticket. Mind you, I said start at. The league non-premium ticket average in the US is currently $84.45 per ticket. Some teams, like the New England Patriots, charge $122 per ticket for non-premium seats.

Wembley Stadium holds 86,000 people for NFL games. Stadiums in the US range from TCF Bank Stadium (Minnesota Vikings) that holds 52,525 to FedEx Field (Washington Redskins) with a capacity of 85,000. However, many teams are experiencing broadcast blackouts due to undersold tickets (because they are too expensive). So instead of doing the right thing, the league seeks new paying customers elsewhere without so much as a thought about its existing fanbase.

We wonder why there is dwindling player loyalty in the NFL. It's all about the almighty dollar (which really isn't all that almighty anymore thanks to a ridiculous deficit and the gradual devaluation of our currency). Players will go to whichever team will pay them the most. Granted, there are several loyal players like Charles Tillman (Chi), Troy Polamalu (Pit), and Larry Fitzgerald (Ari), for example, who have been with their respective teams their entire careers; 12, 12, and 11 years, respectively.

Yet this is what the league is doing: selling out for the highest dollar. What kind of lesson does that teach?

Finally, the wear and tear on our players having to travel across several time zones (especially west coast teams who face an eight-hour time differential) can wreak havoc on their circadian rhythms: "the physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment" (from the NIH article below).

"Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions. They have been linked to various sleep disorders, such as insomnia. Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder."

(The full article on circadian rhythms from the NIH can be found at:  https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/thoughts-the-nfls-increasing-games-london/31826/www.nigms.nih.gov/Education/Pages/Factsheet_CircadianRhythms.aspx)

Therefore, those teams having to travel to London must adjust their body clocks to the new time zone, deal with jet lag, and then fly home and readjust so they are ready to play the following week according to their "normal" circadian rhythms. Granted, the NFL has said that it will likely schedule a bye week for those teams returning from London; however, the league already has enough trouble with scheduling (teams playing Monday night and then Thursday night, for example). Is this fair to these athletes? I don't think so. That the league wants to keep increasing the number of games played in London or possibly even having a regular team there is not a good idea; not to mention a colossal waste of money on overseas travel which is allegedly justified by the growing fan base outside of the US. 

While I am not completely averse to having games or teams in Canada (after all, the NHL and NBA operate in both countries), there is a huge difference between a 99.1 mile drive from Buffalo to Toronto and a 3,358 (from New York) to 5,478 (from San Diego) mile flight to London. And if they must play in London, schedule games during the preseason, but that won't fulfill the pizzaz factor that led to NFL Europe's demise.

Personally, if the NFL continues down this path of devaluing American fans then it should not be called the National Football League and I, for one, would withdraw my support: no more purchasing NFL merchandise or NFL Sunday Ticket for starters.

The Atlanta Falcons continue to tumble. A fifth straight loss – this time as time expires in London – to the Detroit Lions has open the door even wider about questions regarding an offense that looked like world beaters in the first half of the contest.

The second half was a totally different story.

Even with the issues and the losing streak that started after a 56-14 win over Tampa Bay, Falcons head coach Mike Smith is still not concerned with his job or job security.

Smith was asked Monday if he has any concerns about job security, with his team on a five-game losing streak.

"No," Smith said. "None whatsoever. We're going to do what we've done for the last six-plus years and prepare each and every week like we know how to do it. And I'm going to continue to do that until Mr. Blank tells me otherwise.''

Team owner Arthur Blank recently told ESPN.com he had confidence in both Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff to guide a turnaround and said he would wait to see how the season plays out before evaluating changes. But Blank was noticeably frustrated after Sunday's loss in London, telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "There's no way you lose that game -- just no way. There's nothing else I can say."

Smith was asked if he felt a little more pressure based on Blank's public comments about the loss.

"I talk to Mr. Blank after every game and I think that those conversations do stay private,'' Smith said. "And I do agree with him. When you're up 21-0 at halftime, you should not lose that football game.''

Two seasons ago, Smith guided the Falcons to a 13-3 record and a NFC title game appearance. But in the past 24 games, the Falcons are 6-18.

Last season, injuries decimated the franchise, especially at wide receiver and on the offensive line. The Falcons have had to make many changes on the line again this season, including changes at tackle and the use of three centers so far this year.

The offensive line looked impressive against one of the NFL’s better and most improved defenses.

Here is what we learned from this weekend according to the team’s website.

• Wide Receiver Roddy White broke Terance Mathis’ (57) franchise record for career touchdown receptions with a four-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. White has caught 58 career touchdowns since being drafted by Atlanta in 2005. He also owns franchise records for receptions (713), receiving yards (9,789), 100-yard receiving games (38), and 10-catch games (11).
• White ranks second in team history with 58 total touchdowns, trailing RB Michael Turner who scored 61 times (60 rushing & one receiving) in five seasons with the Falcons. White converted the Falcons first third-down of the game on a 15-yard reception. The play was his 149th first down catch on third down since 2008. White has been the among the most reliable targets in crucial situations as no player in the NFL has posted more first down receptions on third down during that span.
• White finished the game with nine receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. He logged his first 100-yard game of the season and his first since posting 141 yards on 12 catches at San Francisco in Week 16 of 2013. White improved his franchise record for 100-yard games to 38 with his performance on Sunday.
• In his last two games against the Ravens, White has tallied 19 catches 238 yards and three touchdowns, including a 33-yard game winning score at the Georgia Dome in 2010.
• Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 29 of 44 passes for 228 yards with one touchdown and an 86.2 passer rating. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 12 straight games dating back to 2013.
• Cornerback Robert Alford recorded his first interception of the season, picking off Ravens quarterback  Joe Flacco in the end zone and preventing the Ravens from scoring.
• Alford picked off Flacco in the end zone a second time in the second half. The second-year player out of Southeastern Louisiana is the first Falcon to post multiple interceptions in a game since safety William Moore picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees twice on November 29, 2012. Sunday marked the 63rd time in franchise history that a Falcons player has recorded two-or-more interceptions in a game.
• Three of Alford’s four interceptions have come in the end zone as he also picked off Panthers QB Cam Newton for a touchback in 2013 (11/3/13). Alford has posted 66 tackles (51 solo) with four interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 18 passes defensed in his career.
• Linebacker Paul Worrilow notched his first sack of the season, dragging down Flacco on a third-down play in the second quarter. Worrilow has posted three sacks in his career, including two in 2013. He was Atlanta’s leading tackler as a rookie last season, posting 137 tackles (92 solo). Worrilow joined Tommy Nobis (1966), Buddy Curry (1980), and Rick Bryan (1984) as the only rookies to lead the team in tackles and is the only undrafted rookie to lead the team in tackles.
• Worrilow finished the game with 10 tackles (three solo), one sack, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback hit. In his career, Worrilow has posted double-digit tackles in 11 games, including four games this season.
• Defensive End Jonathan Massaquoi had a strong game with six tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits.
• Linebacker Joplo Bartu set a career high with 15 total tackles (six solo). He topped his previous best of 13 stops set against Tampa Bay in 2013.
• Wide Receiver Julio Jones continues to lead all wide receivers with 49 catches and ranks third in the NFL with 676 receiving yards this season. Jones pulled down five passes for 56 yards in Sunday’s game.

The NFL has been increasing the number of games played in other countries. The Buffalo Bills "hosted" games in Toronto, Canada, between 2008 and 2012 with talk about expanding the number of these games or even moving the team there with the Bills' late owner Ralph Wilson. Following the 1/29/2013 preseason game the 2014 game was postponed for a year. On 10/2/2005 a regular season game was held in Mexico City, Mexico, between the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. Prior to this season seven games have been held in Wembley Stadium in London.

And the talk continues about expansion. I have a problem with this and I am sure that I am not the only one.

First of all, NFL Europe (first dubbed The World League of American Football) operated on-and-off from 1991 until 6/29/2007 when it officially ended due to loss of funding, exhaustion of television partners, and a focus on Germany (five teams were in Germany, the other in Amsterdam). The "lack of pizzaz" in watching what were essentially glorified practice squads led to its demise.

In the 6/30/2007 New York Times, Richard Sandomir wrote:

“If we can present two or three games a year, and fans are engaged in that experience, we will grow exponentially overseas,” Mark Waller, the senior vice president of NFL International, said by telephone from Frankfurt."

And then he wrote:

"Despite its domestic power, the N.F.L. has struggled to export its game."

(The full article can be found at:  https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/thoughts-the-nfls-increasing-games-london/31826/www.nytimes.com/2007/06/30/sports/football/30nfl.html?_r=0)

And yet the NFL continues to promote the league overseas. I am going to focus upon London because that seems to be the place to play as of late. And for the record, I have nothing against the UK; after all, I am half-British.

Secondly, if I was still a season ticket-holder and one of my home games was to be played in London, thus causing me to miss one, I would be angry. But I gave up my season tickets because I couldn't afford them anymore. Which brings me to my third point...

How about the NFL lowers ticket prices so that middle-class America can attend games? After all, the fans in this country are what made the NFL as popular and successful as it has become.

But no, instead the league wants to promote games overseas because they can charge ridiculous amounts of money which people will pay. For the upcoming Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys game in London on 11/9/2014, tickets start at 39.4 British pounds, or $63.56 per ticket. Mind you, I said start at. The league non-premium ticket average in the US is currently $84.45 per ticket. Some teams, like the New England Patriots, charge $122 per ticket for non-premium seats.

Wembley Stadium holds 86,000 people for NFL games. Stadiums in the US range from TCF Bank Stadium (Minnesota Vikings) that holds 52,525 to FedEx Field (Washington Redskins) with a capacity of 85,000. However, many teams are experiencing broadcast blackouts due to undersold tickets (because they are too expensive). So instead of doing the right thing, the league seeks new paying customers elsewhere without so much as a thought about its existing fanbase.

We wonder why there is dwindling player loyalty in the NFL. It's all about the almighty dollar (which really isn't all that almighty anymore thanks to a ridiculous deficit and the gradual devaluation of our currency). Players will go to whichever team will pay them the most. Granted, there are several loyal players like Charles Tillman (Chi), Troy Polamalu (Pit), and Larry Fitzgerald (Ari), for example, who have been with their respective teams their entire careers; 12, 12, and 11 years, respectively.

Yet this is what the league is doing: selling out for the highest dollar. What kind of lesson does that teach?

Finally, the wear and tear on our players having to travel across several time zones (especially west coast teams who face an eight-hour time differential) can wreak havoc on their circadian rhythms: "the physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment" (from the NIH article below).

"Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions. They have been linked to various sleep disorders, such as insomnia. Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder."

(The full article on circadian rhythms from the NIH can be found at:  https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/thoughts-the-nfls-increasing-games-london/31826/www.nigms.nih.gov/Education/Pages/Factsheet_CircadianRhythms.aspx)

Therefore, those teams having to travel to London must adjust their body clocks to the new time zone, deal with jet lag, and then fly home and readjust so they are ready to play the following week according to their "normal" circadian rhythms. Granted, the NFL has said that it will likely schedule a bye week for those teams returning from London; however, the league already has enough trouble with scheduling (teams playing Monday night and then Thursday night, for example). Is this fair to these athletes? I don't think so. That the league wants to keep increasing the number of games played in London or possibly even having a regular team there is not a good idea; not to mention a colossal waste of money on overseas travel which is allegedly justified by the growing fan base outside of the US. 

While I am not completely averse to having games or teams in Canada (after all, the NHL and NBA operate in both countries), there is a huge difference between a 99.1 mile drive from Buffalo to Toronto and a 3,358 (from New York) to 5,478 (from San Diego) mile flight to London. And if they must play in London, schedule games during the preseason, but that won't fulfill the pizzaz factor that led to NFL Europe's demise.

Personally, if the NFL continues down this path of devaluing American fans then it should not be called the National Football League and I, for one, would withdraw my support: no more purchasing NFL merchandise or NFL Sunday Ticket for starters.

The Atlanta Falcons continue to tumble. A fifth straight loss – this time as time expires in London – to the Detroit Lions has open the door even wider about questions regarding an offense that looked like world beaters in the first half of the contest.

The second half was a totally different story.

Even with the issues and the losing streak that started after a 56-14 win over Tampa Bay, Falcons head coach Mike Smith is still not concerned with his job or job security.

Smith was asked Monday if he has any concerns about job security, with his team on a five-game losing streak.

"No," Smith said. "None whatsoever. We're going to do what we've done for the last six-plus years and prepare each and every week like we know how to do it. And I'm going to continue to do that until Mr. Blank tells me otherwise.''

Team owner Arthur Blank recently told ESPN.com he had confidence in both Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff to guide a turnaround and said he would wait to see how the season plays out before evaluating changes. But Blank was noticeably frustrated after Sunday's loss in London, telling the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "There's no way you lose that game -- just no way. There's nothing else I can say."

Smith was asked if he felt a little more pressure based on Blank's public comments about the loss.

"I talk to Mr. Blank after every game and I think that those conversations do stay private,'' Smith said. "And I do agree with him. When you're up 21-0 at halftime, you should not lose that football game.''

Two seasons ago, Smith guided the Falcons to a 13-3 record and a NFC title game appearance. But in the past 24 games, the Falcons are 6-18.

Last season, injuries decimated the franchise, especially at wide receiver and on the offensive line. The Falcons have had to make many changes on the line again this season, including changes at tackle and the use of three centers so far this year.

The offensive line looked impressive against one of the NFL’s better and most improved defenses.

Here is what we learned from this weekend according to the team’s website.

• Wide Receiver Roddy White broke Terance Mathis’ (57) franchise record for career touchdown receptions with a four-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. White has caught 58 career touchdowns since being drafted by Atlanta in 2005. He also owns franchise records for receptions (713), receiving yards (9,789), 100-yard receiving games (38), and 10-catch games (11).
• White ranks second in team history with 58 total touchdowns, trailing RB Michael Turner who scored 61 times (60 rushing & one receiving) in five seasons with the Falcons. White converted the Falcons first third-down of the game on a 15-yard reception. The play was his 149th first down catch on third down since 2008. White has been the among the most reliable targets in crucial situations as no player in the NFL has posted more first down receptions on third down during that span.
• White finished the game with nine receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. He logged his first 100-yard game of the season and his first since posting 141 yards on 12 catches at San Francisco in Week 16 of 2013. White improved his franchise record for 100-yard games to 38 with his performance on Sunday.
• In his last two games against the Ravens, White has tallied 19 catches 238 yards and three touchdowns, including a 33-yard game winning score at the Georgia Dome in 2010.
• Quarterback Matt Ryan completed 29 of 44 passes for 228 yards with one touchdown and an 86.2 passer rating. He has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 12 straight games dating back to 2013.
• Cornerback Robert Alford recorded his first interception of the season, picking off Ravens quarterback  Joe Flacco in the end zone and preventing the Ravens from scoring.
• Alford picked off Flacco in the end zone a second time in the second half. The second-year player out of Southeastern Louisiana is the first Falcon to post multiple interceptions in a game since safety William Moore picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees twice on November 29, 2012. Sunday marked the 63rd time in franchise history that a Falcons player has recorded two-or-more interceptions in a game.
• Three of Alford’s four interceptions have come in the end zone as he also picked off Panthers QB Cam Newton for a touchback in 2013 (11/3/13). Alford has posted 66 tackles (51 solo) with four interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 18 passes defensed in his career.
• Linebacker Paul Worrilow notched his first sack of the season, dragging down Flacco on a third-down play in the second quarter. Worrilow has posted three sacks in his career, including two in 2013. He was Atlanta’s leading tackler as a rookie last season, posting 137 tackles (92 solo). Worrilow joined Tommy Nobis (1966), Buddy Curry (1980), and Rick Bryan (1984) as the only rookies to lead the team in tackles and is the only undrafted rookie to lead the team in tackles.
• Worrilow finished the game with 10 tackles (three solo), one sack, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback hit. In his career, Worrilow has posted double-digit tackles in 11 games, including four games this season.
• Defensive End Jonathan Massaquoi had a strong game with six tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits.
• Linebacker Joplo Bartu set a career high with 15 total tackles (six solo). He topped his previous best of 13 stops set against Tampa Bay in 2013.
• Wide Receiver Julio Jones continues to lead all wide receivers with 49 catches and ranks third in the NFL with 676 receiving yards this season. Jones pulled down five passes for 56 yards in Sunday’s game.

The NFL has been increasing the number of games played in other countries. The Buffalo Bills "hosted" games in Toronto, Canada, between 2008 and 2012 with talk about expanding the number of these games or even moving the team there with the Bills' late owner Ralph Wilson. Following the 1/29/2013 preseason game the 2014 game was postponed for a year. On 10/2/2005 a regular season game was held in Mexico City, Mexico, between the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. Prior to this season seven games have been held in Wembley Stadium in London.

And the talk continues about expansion. I have a problem with this and I am sure that I am not the only one.

First of all, NFL Europe (first dubbed The World League of American Football) operated on-and-off from 1991 until 6/29/2007 when it officially ended due to loss of funding, exhaustion of television partners, and a focus on Germany (five teams were in Germany, the other in Amsterdam). The "lack of pizzaz" in watching what were essentially glorified practice squads led to its demise.

In the 6/30/2007 New York Times, Richard Sandomir wrote:

“If we can present two or three games a year, and fans are engaged in that experience, we will grow exponentially overseas,” Mark Waller, the senior vice president of NFL International, said by telephone from Frankfurt."

And then he wrote:

"Despite its domestic power, the N.F.L. has struggled to export its game."

(The full article can be found at:  https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/thoughts-the-nfls-increasing-games-london/31826/www.nytimes.com/2007/06/30/sports/football/30nfl.html?_r=0)

And yet the NFL continues to promote the league overseas. I am going to focus upon London because that seems to be the place to play as of late. And for the record, I have nothing against the UK; after all, I am half-British.

Secondly, if I was still a season ticket-holder and one of my home games was to be played in London, thus causing me to miss one, I would be angry. But I gave up my season tickets because I couldn't afford them anymore. Which brings me to my third point...

How about the NFL lowers ticket prices so that middle-class America can attend games? After all, the fans in this country are what made the NFL as popular and successful as it has become.

But no, instead the league wants to promote games overseas because they can charge ridiculous amounts of money which people will pay. For the upcoming Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys game in London on 11/9/2014, tickets start at 39.4 British pounds, or $63.56 per ticket. Mind you, I said start at. The league non-premium ticket average in the US is currently $84.45 per ticket. Some teams, like the New England Patriots, charge $122 per ticket for non-premium seats.

Wembley Stadium holds 86,000 people for NFL games. Stadiums in the US range from TCF Bank Stadium (Minnesota Vikings) that holds 52,525 to FedEx Field (Washington Redskins) with a capacity of 85,000. However, many teams are experiencing broadcast blackouts due to undersold tickets (because they are too expensive). So instead of doing the right thing, the league seeks new paying customers elsewhere without so much as a thought about its existing fanbase.

We wonder why there is dwindling player loyalty in the NFL. It's all about the almighty dollar (which really isn't all that almighty anymore thanks to a ridiculous deficit and the gradual devaluation of our currency). Players will go to whichever team will pay them the most. Granted, there are several loyal players like Charles Tillman (Chi), Troy Polamalu (Pit), and Larry Fitzgerald (Ari), for example, who have been with their respective teams their entire careers; 12, 12, and 11 years, respectively.

Yet this is what the league is doing: selling out for the highest dollar. What kind of lesson does that teach?

Finally, the wear and tear on our players having to travel across several time zones (especially west coast teams who face an eight-hour time differential) can wreak havoc on their circadian rhythms: "the physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle, responding primarily to light and darkness in an organism's environment" (from the NIH article below).

"Circadian rhythms can influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily functions. They have been linked to various sleep disorders, such as insomnia. Abnormal circadian rhythms have also been associated with obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder."

(The full article on circadian rhythms from the NIH can be found at:  https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/thoughts-the-nfls-increasing-games-london/31826/www.nigms.nih.gov/Education/Pages/Factsheet_CircadianRhythms.aspx)

Therefore, those teams having to travel to London must adjust their body clocks to the new time zone, deal with jet lag, and then fly home and readjust so they are ready to play the following week according to their "normal" circadian rhythms. Granted, the NFL has said that it will likely schedule a bye week for those teams returning from London; however, the league already has enough trouble with scheduling (teams playing Monday night and then Thursday night, for example). Is this fair to these athletes? I don't think so. That the league wants to keep increasing the number of games played in London or possibly even having a regular team there is not a good idea; not to mention a colossal waste of money on overseas travel which is allegedly justified by the growing fan base outside of the US. 

While I am not completely averse to having games or teams in Canada (after all, the NHL and NBA operate in both countries), there is a huge difference between a 99.1 mile drive from Buffalo to Toronto and a 3,358 (from New York) to 5,478 (from San Diego) mile flight to London. And if they must play in London, schedule games during the preseason, but that won't fulfill the pizzaz factor that led to NFL Europe's demise.

Personally, if the NFL continues down this path of devaluing American fans then it should not be called the National Football League and I, for one, would withdraw my support: no more purchasing NFL merchandise or NFL Sunday Ticket for starters.

The Atlanta Falcons not only have to keep an eye on the key offensive weapons of the Detroit Lions, it appears the offense will have to be fully aware of the play of DeAndre Levy from the linebacker position.

The unknown player is making a name for himself this season on a much improved defensive unit.

The Falcons have scouted him intensely leading up to Sunday's game at Wembley Stadium and know that he'll be worth keeping an eye on.

"He was a sub-4.6 guy coming out," said Mike Smith of Levy, who played his college ball at Wisconsin. "He's a guy that comes downhill and he's very quick. When you are having to put four hands on those defensive linemen and he's coming downhill, he's winning a lot of his battles because of his speed. If you come off too quickly, that's when the defensive tackles will make their plays.”

Smith said the Lions don't do a whole lot of blitzing because of the strength of their defensive line in creating their own pressure, so Levy will be pivotal to watch when it comes to the run game.

With the possibility of wide receiver Harry Douglas getting back into action Sunday, the extra target could help keep Levy honest when it comes to playing the run, but getting a helmet on him during run plays will be crucial to having success on the ground.

"He's definitely playing really lights-out football — having a great year," running back Steven Jackson said Thursday. "He's one of the guys that I've watched all week. His explosiveness and sideline-to-sideline speed, once he recognizes or sees the ball, he does a really good job of avoiding blocks, getting to it and also doing a good job of getting his D-linemen off the double team because he's so fast."

DOUGLAS BACK AT PRACTICE (PER ALANTAFALCONS.COM)

Head coach Mike Smith said before practice Thursday that wide receiver Harry Douglas would be a limited participant, something he hasn't been since Week 4.

It's been 10 practices since wide receiver Harry Douglas has been a participant at any level, but the streak will end Thursday as head coach Mike Smith announced before the day's session that Douglas would be limited.

Douglas injured his foot in a Week 3 win over Tampa Bay and was scheduled to do a rehab run Wednesday despite being a non-participant in practice.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux is expected to be a non-participant again Thursday, but Smith said he's hoping to get him some limited reps on Friday.

"We'll have to see how both those guys handle their workload over the next couple of days to see what their game status will be," Smith said Thursday.

The Atlanta Falcons not only have to keep an eye on the key offensive weapons of the Detroit Lions, it appears the offense will have to be fully aware of the play of DeAndre Levy from the linebacker position.

The unknown player is making a name for himself this season on a much improved defensive unit.

The Falcons have scouted him intensely leading up to Sunday's game at Wembley Stadium and know that he'll be worth keeping an eye on.

"He was a sub-4.6 guy coming out," said Mike Smith of Levy, who played his college ball at Wisconsin. "He's a guy that comes downhill and he's very quick. When you are having to put four hands on those defensive linemen and he's coming downhill, he's winning a lot of his battles because of his speed. If you come off too quickly, that's when the defensive tackles will make their plays.”

Smith said the Lions don't do a whole lot of blitzing because of the strength of their defensive line in creating their own pressure, so Levy will be pivotal to watch when it comes to the run game.

With the possibility of wide receiver Harry Douglas getting back into action Sunday, the extra target could help keep Levy honest when it comes to playing the run, but getting a helmet on him during run plays will be crucial to having success on the ground.

"He's definitely playing really lights-out football — having a great year," running back Steven Jackson said Thursday. "He's one of the guys that I've watched all week. His explosiveness and sideline-to-sideline speed, once he recognizes or sees the ball, he does a really good job of avoiding blocks, getting to it and also doing a good job of getting his D-linemen off the double team because he's so fast."

DOUGLAS BACK AT PRACTICE (PER ALANTAFALCONS.COM)

Head coach Mike Smith said before practice Thursday that wide receiver Harry Douglas would be a limited participant, something he hasn't been since Week 4.

It's been 10 practices since wide receiver Harry Douglas has been a participant at any level, but the streak will end Thursday as head coach Mike Smith announced before the day's session that Douglas would be limited.

Douglas injured his foot in a Week 3 win over Tampa Bay and was scheduled to do a rehab run Wednesday despite being a non-participant in practice.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux is expected to be a non-participant again Thursday, but Smith said he's hoping to get him some limited reps on Friday.

"We'll have to see how both those guys handle their workload over the next couple of days to see what their game status will be," Smith said Thursday.

The Atlanta Falcons not only have to keep an eye on the key offensive weapons of the Detroit Lions, it appears the offense will have to be fully aware of the play of DeAndre Levy from the linebacker position.

The unknown player is making a name for himself this season on a much improved defensive unit.

The Falcons have scouted him intensely leading up to Sunday's game at Wembley Stadium and know that he'll be worth keeping an eye on.

"He was a sub-4.6 guy coming out," said Mike Smith of Levy, who played his college ball at Wisconsin. "He's a guy that comes downhill and he's very quick. When you are having to put four hands on those defensive linemen and he's coming downhill, he's winning a lot of his battles because of his speed. If you come off too quickly, that's when the defensive tackles will make their plays.”

Smith said the Lions don't do a whole lot of blitzing because of the strength of their defensive line in creating their own pressure, so Levy will be pivotal to watch when it comes to the run game.

With the possibility of wide receiver Harry Douglas getting back into action Sunday, the extra target could help keep Levy honest when it comes to playing the run, but getting a helmet on him during run plays will be crucial to having success on the ground.

"He's definitely playing really lights-out football — having a great year," running back Steven Jackson said Thursday. "He's one of the guys that I've watched all week. His explosiveness and sideline-to-sideline speed, once he recognizes or sees the ball, he does a really good job of avoiding blocks, getting to it and also doing a good job of getting his D-linemen off the double team because he's so fast."

DOUGLAS BACK AT PRACTICE (PER ALANTAFALCONS.COM)

Head coach Mike Smith said before practice Thursday that wide receiver Harry Douglas would be a limited participant, something he hasn't been since Week 4.

It's been 10 practices since wide receiver Harry Douglas has been a participant at any level, but the streak will end Thursday as head coach Mike Smith announced before the day's session that Douglas would be limited.

Douglas injured his foot in a Week 3 win over Tampa Bay and was scheduled to do a rehab run Wednesday despite being a non-participant in practice.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux is expected to be a non-participant again Thursday, but Smith said he's hoping to get him some limited reps on Friday.

"We'll have to see how both those guys handle their workload over the next couple of days to see what their game status will be," Smith said Thursday.

The Atlanta Falcons not only have to keep an eye on the key offensive weapons of the Detroit Lions, it appears the offense will have to be fully aware of the play of DeAndre Levy from the linebacker position.

The unknown player is making a name for himself this season on a much improved defensive unit.

The Falcons have scouted him intensely leading up to Sunday's game at Wembley Stadium and know that he'll be worth keeping an eye on.

"He was a sub-4.6 guy coming out," said Mike Smith of Levy, who played his college ball at Wisconsin. "He's a guy that comes downhill and he's very quick. When you are having to put four hands on those defensive linemen and he's coming downhill, he's winning a lot of his battles because of his speed. If you come off too quickly, that's when the defensive tackles will make their plays.”

Smith said the Lions don't do a whole lot of blitzing because of the strength of their defensive line in creating their own pressure, so Levy will be pivotal to watch when it comes to the run game.

With the possibility of wide receiver Harry Douglas getting back into action Sunday, the extra target could help keep Levy honest when it comes to playing the run, but getting a helmet on him during run plays will be crucial to having success on the ground.

"He's definitely playing really lights-out football — having a great year," running back Steven Jackson said Thursday. "He's one of the guys that I've watched all week. His explosiveness and sideline-to-sideline speed, once he recognizes or sees the ball, he does a really good job of avoiding blocks, getting to it and also doing a good job of getting his D-linemen off the double team because he's so fast."

DOUGLAS BACK AT PRACTICE (PER ALANTAFALCONS.COM)

Head coach Mike Smith said before practice Thursday that wide receiver Harry Douglas would be a limited participant, something he hasn't been since Week 4.

It's been 10 practices since wide receiver Harry Douglas has been a participant at any level, but the streak will end Thursday as head coach Mike Smith announced before the day's session that Douglas would be limited.

Douglas injured his foot in a Week 3 win over Tampa Bay and was scheduled to do a rehab run Wednesday despite being a non-participant in practice.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux is expected to be a non-participant again Thursday, but Smith said he's hoping to get him some limited reps on Friday.

"We'll have to see how both those guys handle their workload over the next couple of days to see what their game status will be," Smith said Thursday.

None of the 32 teams in the NFL drafted James Stone in May. He was lucky enough to show enough promise that he made the Atlanta Falcons take a long hard look at him. On Sunday, when the team takes on the Detroit Lions in London, Stone will be the starting center as both Joe Hawley and Peter Konz have both gone down with injuries.

This according to Jay Adams and the Falcons website.

Stone has been named the starting center on the latest unofficial Falcons depth chart, released Tuesday.

Konz left last week's loss to Baltimore in the first quarter with a knee injury, placing Stone, a University of Tennesse product, into an ever-changing offensive line. Stone performed well in his first extended action after seeing some time in two games previously.

The change is just another in a long line for the Falcons' front five, especially for Matt Ryan, who will be getting used to his third center this season with Konz and Joe Hawley on injured reserve.

"I thought James Stone did a great job of coming in and filling in for Peter," Ryan said Monday. "It's been one of the things that, this year, guys have had to step up and come in and play, especially on the offensive line, through some injuries."

Stone played in 45 games with 39 starts at Tennessee, including starts in each of his last 24 games. Last season, was named to the Rimington Award watch list, helping the Volunteers gain 2,261 rushing yards, the school’s highest total since 2004.

Harland Gunn will back Stone up at center, as well as at both guard positions. Newly signed tackle Jonathan Scot tis listed as the third string for both tackle positions.

Team looking forward to London (AtlantaFalcons.com)

Relocating Flowery Branch operations to London is no small task (more on that later today) and trying to find a routine among the festival atmosphere for the NFL's International Series could prove to be challenging, but the Falcons are set on controlling what they can control.

That means making the most of the opportunities to make the week in London just like any other week of game preparations, thousands of miles away from Flowery Branch or not.

"It's just like any other road game," head coach Mike Smith said Monday. "What we're trying to do is we're trying to make this like a home game. This is one of our eight home games that we have, so our schedule of the week will be the same as when we came over."

Immediately following their arrival in London, the Falcons set off to participate in a Play 60 event at a local school — an activity usually reserved for Tuesdays during a normal game week — and then got settled in at their hotel and headquarters for the week.

The players will have a CBA-mandated day off Tuesday before getting right into their normal game week preparations with walkthroughs and practices Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Saturday will provide a break from the norm as the team will participate in a fan fest at Trafalgar Square, but at the conclusion of that event, it's right back to focusing on Detroit and winning in Week 8.

"You've got to get on a time schedule where you can get some sleep and things like that because that's going to be important for the game," wide receiver Roddy White said. "We've got to do a lot of focusing on just getting our bodies and minds right for this chance, this opportunity that we've got over here in London."

None of the 32 teams in the NFL drafted James Stone in May. He was lucky enough to show enough promise that he made the Atlanta Falcons take a long hard look at him. On Sunday, when the team takes on the Detroit Lions in London, Stone will be the starting center as both Joe Hawley and Peter Konz have both gone down with injuries.

This according to Jay Adams and the Falcons website.

Stone has been named the starting center on the latest unofficial Falcons depth chart, released Tuesday.

Konz left last week's loss to Baltimore in the first quarter with a knee injury, placing Stone, a University of Tennesse product, into an ever-changing offensive line. Stone performed well in his first extended action after seeing some time in two games previously.

The change is just another in a long line for the Falcons' front five, especially for Matt Ryan, who will be getting used to his third center this season with Konz and Joe Hawley on injured reserve.

"I thought James Stone did a great job of coming in and filling in for Peter," Ryan said Monday. "It's been one of the things that, this year, guys have had to step up and come in and play, especially on the offensive line, through some injuries."

Stone played in 45 games with 39 starts at Tennessee, including starts in each of his last 24 games. Last season, was named to the Rimington Award watch list, helping the Volunteers gain 2,261 rushing yards, the school’s highest total since 2004.

Harland Gunn will back Stone up at center, as well as at both guard positions. Newly signed tackle Jonathan Scot tis listed as the third string for both tackle positions.

Team looking forward to London (AtlantaFalcons.com)

Relocating Flowery Branch operations to London is no small task (more on that later today) and trying to find a routine among the festival atmosphere for the NFL's International Series could prove to be challenging, but the Falcons are set on controlling what they can control.

That means making the most of the opportunities to make the week in London just like any other week of game preparations, thousands of miles away from Flowery Branch or not.

"It's just like any other road game," head coach Mike Smith said Monday. "What we're trying to do is we're trying to make this like a home game. This is one of our eight home games that we have, so our schedule of the week will be the same as when we came over."

Immediately following their arrival in London, the Falcons set off to participate in a Play 60 event at a local school — an activity usually reserved for Tuesdays during a normal game week — and then got settled in at their hotel and headquarters for the week.

The players will have a CBA-mandated day off Tuesday before getting right into their normal game week preparations with walkthroughs and practices Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Saturday will provide a break from the norm as the team will participate in a fan fest at Trafalgar Square, but at the conclusion of that event, it's right back to focusing on Detroit and winning in Week 8.

"You've got to get on a time schedule where you can get some sleep and things like that because that's going to be important for the game," wide receiver Roddy White said. "We've got to do a lot of focusing on just getting our bodies and minds right for this chance, this opportunity that we've got over here in London."